Indian Easements Act, 1882
38. Extinction by release
An easement is extinguished when the dominant owner releases it,
expressly or impliedly, to the servant owner.
Such release can be made only in the circumstances and to the
extent in and to which the dominant owner can alienate the dominant heritage.
An easement may be released as to part only of the servant
heritage.
Explanation I: An easement is impliedly released-
(a) where the dominant owner expressly authorizes an act of a
permanent nature to be done on the servant heritage, the necessary consequence
of which is to prevent his future enjoyment of the easement, and such act is
done in pursuance of such authority;
(b) where any permanent alteration is made in the dominant
heritage of such a nature as to show that the dominant owner intended to cease
to enjoy the easement in future.
Explanation II: Mere non-user of an easement is not an
implied release within the meaning of this section.
Illustrations
(a) A, B and C are co-owners of a house to which an easement is
annexed. A, without the consent of B and C, releases the easement. The release
is effectual only as against A and his legal representative.
(b) A grants B an easement over A’s land for the beneficial
enjoyment of his house. B assigns the house to C. B then purports to release
the easement. The release is ineffectual.
(c) A, having the right to discharge his eavesdroppings into B’s
years, expressly authorizes B to build over this year to a height which will
interfere with the discharge. B builds accordingly. A’s easements is
extinguished to the extent of the interference.
(d) A, having an easement of light to a window, build up that
window with bricks and mortar so as to manifest an intention to abandon the
easement permanently. The easement is impliedly released.
(e) A, having a projecting roof by means of which he enjoys an
easement to discharge eavesdroppings on B’s land permanently alters the roof,
so as to direct the rain-water into a different channel and discharge it on C’s
land. The easement is impliedly released.